Personal Reminiscences of the War of 1861-5: In Camp—en Bivouac—on the March—on Picket—on the Skirmish Line—on the Battlefield—and in PrisonMorgan, W. H. (William Henry)
History
Personal Reminiscences of the War of 1861-5: In Camp—en Bivouac—on the March—on Picket—on the Skirmish Line—on the Battlefield—and in Prison
Morgan, W. H. (William Henry)
Confederate States of America. Army. Virginia Infantry Regiment, 11th; Morgan, W. H. (William Henry), 1836-; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives, Confederate; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Regimental histories
By preärrangement, of which none but the chief Confederate officers
knew, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, who was confronting a Yankee army in the
Valley under General Patterson, who had orders to hold Johnston in the
Valley while McDowell attacked Beauregard at Manassas, was to come to
General Beauregard's support at the proper time. And if General McDowell
stole a march on Beauregard on the morning of the 21st, General Johnston
had on the 18th stolen a march on Patterson. On the 18th, about noon,
Johnston got word from Beauregard that McDowell was in his front with an
army much larger than his own, and that now was the time to help.
Johnston, who was then at Winchester, at once put his army in motion up
the Valley pike, then marching across towards the Blue Ridge to
Piedmont, with Jackson's Brigade in the lead, which marched seventeen
miles that afternoon. Jackson boarded the cars at Piedmont, and on the
20th by noon was at Manassas, the other troops following. Jackson, as
before said, was placed in rear of the line along Bull Run as a reserve,
and now, at a critical moment on the 21st, arrived on the battlefield,
and noting the situation, remarked, so it was said, "We will give those
people the bayonet," and forming his brigade in line of battle, stood
firmly awaiting the propitious moment, as the Yankees were ascending the
pine-covered hill on which he and his men stood. General Bee called on
his broken and retreating men of the far South to "rally on the
Virginians." "Look," exclaimed Bee to the South Carolinians and
Alabamians, "see Jackson and his men standing like a stone wall!" Then
and there the sobriquet of "Stonewall" was given to this demigod of war
and his brigade, which will live forever.
As the Yankee line pressed up the hill, Jackson charged, driving them
back in confusion, thus giving the first substantial check to the enemy,
who had pressed back the Confederate lines for a mile or more.
GEN. KIRBY SMITH TURNS THE TIDE OF BATTLE
And there was to be another "Richmond on the field," very soon. Generals
Kirby Smith and Elzey, of Johnston's command, were on the train on the
Manassas Gap road, hurrying as fast as steam could carry them to
Manassas Junction.
Hearing the firing to the left and knowing that the battle was not far
away, instead of going on to Manassas Junction, General Smith stopped
the trains before reaching that place, detrained the troops, and
following the rule of war, "marched across the country to the sound of
the heaviest firing," struck the enemy on his flank, with a wild yell
that terrified the Yankees, and caused them to break in great confusion.
General Smith was shot from his horse, though not killed. General Elzey,
who, with his brigade, had just arrived on the scene of action, then
assumed command, and pushing his troops still further to the rear of the
Yankee lines, completed the rout.
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